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The recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy delivered stellar performances and intense on-field rivalries between India and Australia, setting the stage for a dream combined XI featuring the best from both sides.
India suffered a crushing six-wicket defeat to Australia in the fifth and deciding Test in Sydney on Sunday, losing the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 1-3. The loss also ended India’s hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final, with Australia securing their spot.
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Australia, clinching the BGT for the first time since 2014, will defend their WTC title against South Africa this June at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.
Here’s a combined playing XI from both India and Australia, selected for their technical excellence, aggressive mindset, and match-winning contributions that shaped this fiercely contested series.
OPENERS
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Despite India’s batting woes, Yashasvi Jaiswal stood out as the top scorer for the visiting side and the second-highest overall in the series. On his maiden tour of Australia, Jaiswal amassed 391 runs in 10 innings at an average of 43.44, including a stellar century and two fifties. His standout performance was a brilliant knock of 161 in the opening Test at Perth, leading India to a commanding 295-run victory.
KL Rahul
Before opening the batting in Perth, KL Rahul had been battling a lean patch, with only four fifty-plus scores in 21 innings since the start of 2022. However, the ever-resilient Rahul delivered a gritty knock of 77 in the second innings after scoring 26 in the first. More importantly, he formed a match-winning 201-run opening partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal, steering India to victory in the first Test. Across the series, Rahul amassed 276 runs in 10 innings at an average of 30.67, including two fifties, highlighted by a fine knock of 84 in the third Test at the Gabba, which ended in a draw. Although his statistics may not fully reflect his performance, he still managed to surpass the Australian opening batters to make the cut.
MIDDLE-ORDER BATTERS
Marnus Labuschagne
Marnus Labuschagne, the No. 3 batter for Australia, showed glimpses of form with crucial knocks of 72, 70, and 64 against India. However, his overall performance was below expectations, averaging just 25.77 for the series. Labuschagne, who hasn’t scored a Test century in two years, accumulated 232 runs in 9 innings at a strike rate of 41.50, with the help of three fifties – the most by any batter in the series.
Steven Smith
The series also marked the fine comeback of star Australian batter Steve Smith, who returned in style, amassing 314 runs in 5 matches, including two magnificent centuries. Smith’s stellar performances reinforced his status as one of the game’s elite, reaffirming his place among cricket’s renowned ‘Big 4’. Smith fell just one run short of the coveted 10,000-run milestone, finishing the series with 9,999 runs. He will now have to wait for the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle later this month for his next opportunity to become the 15th batter to join the exclusive club.
Travis Head
India’s nemesis Travis Head continued his rich run of form as he emerged as Australia’s key performer, concluding the tournament as the leading run-getter. His outstanding performance included 448 runs across 5 matches with a strike rate of 92.56. The Australian batter registered two centuries, with his highest individual score of 152 securing his position at the top of run-scoring charts.
WICKET-KEEPER
Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant, who had made a mark with the second-fastest Test fifty by an Indian during the SCG Test, finished as his side’s fourth-highest run-scorer with 255 runs in nine innings which came at a below-par average of 28.33. However, this series was a far cry from his stunning performances during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, as Pant’s impact was less pronounced this time around.
ALL-ROUNDER
Nitish Kumar Reddy
Young Nitish Kumar Reddy made a memorable Test debut on November 22 in Perth and featured in all five matches of the series. The 21-year-old all-rounder impressed with both bat and ball, scoring 298 runs in 9 innings and taking 5 wickets. His standout performance came during the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, where he scored a gritty 114 runs off 189 balls while batting at No. 7 under challenging circumstances. Reddy’s all-round contributions were a bright spot for India throughout the series.
SPINNER
Nathan Lyon
Nathan Lyon, Australia’s premier off-spinner, experienced a lacklustre performance in the series, claiming only nine wickets across five matches with an average of 36.89. Although he delivered the third-highest number of overs (122.4) for Australia, Lyon’s impact remained minimal during their 3-1 series victory against India. The seasoned bowler, with 196 wickets in 48 Tests, achieved a notable milestone by overtaking Ravichandran Ashwin to become the highest wicket-taker in the World Test Championship (WTC). Ashwin had secured 195 wickets in 41 WTC matches.
FAST BOWLERS
Jasprit Bumrah
India’s premier fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, was the standout performer of the series, claiming an impressive 32 wickets across five Tests. With an average of 13.06, Bumrah set a new record for the most wickets by an Indian bowler in an overseas Test series, surpassing Bishan Singh Bedi’s tally of 31 wickets (average 23.87) in the 1977-78 series against Australia. Bumrah also became the fastest Indian fast bowler to reach 200 Test wickets, achieving the milestone at the MCG, and is now the second-fastest Indian bowler to this mark, behind Ravichandran Ashwin’s 37 Tests.
Pat Cummins
Pat Cummins played a pivotal role in Australia’s dominance during the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. The Australian skipper, who bowled a series-high 167 overs, delivered standout performances, including a five wickets across two innings in the Sydney Test. Cummins finished the series with an impressive tally of 25 wickets, conceding 534 runs overall, showcasing his leadership and bowling prowess.
Scott Boland
Scott Boland, the chief architect of Australia’s six-wicket victory in the fifth Test at the SCG, delivered a sensational match performance with figures of 10 for 76. This feat placed him alongside the legendary Glenn McGrath as one of only two Australian seamers since 1990 to take 10 wickets in a Test at the SCG. The first was McGrath, who ended with figures of 10/103 against India in 2000. Boland was outstanding throughout the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, claiming 21 wickets in just three matches at a remarkable average of 13.19, cementing his status as a key player in Australia’s success.
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